Welcome..... Wissup??

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Teachers in the West Bend School District received a letter Friday afternoon from School Board members explaining the effect salary negotiations could have on the upcoming budget.

The two-page letter, signed by each member of the school board, states that the “current collective bargaining process is going to directly impact the amount that has to be reduced for next year’s budget.”

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It's going................

School board vice-president Kathy Van Eerden said the letter was designed to connect directly with staff to talk about the budget as discussed earlier this week at a School Board work session. School board president Joe Carlson was unable to be reached in time for publication.

“We wanted to share our concerns directly with staff members so it was clear to them the impact the reductions could potentially have,” she said.

School board members also wanted staff to be fully informed about the potential implication of the association’s proposal on the budget, Van Eerden said.

“We wanted the staff to be fully aware of the position the district finds itself in, and to emphasize the board’s commitment to the district and to acknowledge how much we value them and the work they do,” she said.

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It's going...............

The letter states:

“We are committed to reaching a voluntary settlements and will work tirelessly to do so. However, the fiscal challenges facing our district are very real and will likely compound in the future....."

...AND IT'S OUTTA THE BALL PARK!!!
Shelly Krueger, president of the West Bend Education Association, said she was still digesting the information.

“I understand where the school board is coming from,” she said, but declined to comment further.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Roman Catholic Diocese, in particular Bishop Ricken and Rev. Doerfler, need to be applauded for the strong statement they are sending by disassociating with ESTHER AND JOSHUA a/k/a WISDOM a/k/a GAMALIEL Foundation, all Chicago-style community organizations that have aligned themselves with pro-choice establishments and promote sugar-daddy government. These are the organizations that are lobbying our legislators for in-state tuition for illegals, government-run healthcare, drivers licenses for illegals, are in favor of Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and repeal of the QEO, opposed to voter photo ID, opposed to the statewide voter registration list, opposed to property tax freezes and support restrictions on 2nd amendment rights of Milwaukee County residents. Need I say more?

Bishop David Ricken sent a letter Saturday to ESTHER of the Fox Valley and JOSHUA of Green Bay asking them to make the move and calling a meeting with Catholic members of the two groups in March.

In the letter, Ricken says ESTHER and JOSHUA’s affiliation with WISDOM, the state umbrella organization of interfaith groups, is problematic because WISDOM is affiliated with the Gamaliel Foundation, a national group whose strategies run counter to Catholic teachings.

“The end does not justify the means,” the Very Rev. John Doerfler, the diocese’s vicar general and chancellor, told The Post-Crescent on Wednesday.

A metropolitan organization is a mass based, multi‑institution, peoples organization that exits for the purpose of amassing and exercising collective power on a local and regional level to address inequality, injustice, poverty and oppression. Its job is to shift the balance of power by aligning the poor and working class urban population with a (predominantly) white, suburban, working class constituency. Metropolitan Organizations will seek to dominate and even dictate public policy decisions without direct engagement in electoral or partisan politics or through purely legal means. Instead, it will rely on the real power of massive and overwhelming numbers and strategic action to win major issue campaigns and further expand its power. Ultimately, these Metropolitan Organizations will be linked together by their staff and key leadership and will have the power to exercise greater influence on a national scale. As the social and physical condition of the urban areas continues to erode and the economic status of the suburban working class deteriorates, the power and importance of Metropolitan Organizations will grow. They may be the only organizations prepared and willing to take regional power to transform the metropolitan area and redistribute wealth and power. And if enough regions are transformed, America is transformed.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

State Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker sent the SB484 back to committee today.... Just proves that when the pressure is on during election time, great things can happen! Keep it up, folks!

FYI...

Senate Bill 484, often referred to as BadgerCare Plus Basic, was scheduled in the State Senate today, Tuesday, February 23.

BadgerCare Plus Basic is health insurance for the 21,000 people on the Badger Care Plus Core plan waiting list due to the enrollment cap the Department of Health Services implemented in the fall of 2009. BadgerCare Plus Basic is intended to be funded entirely by premiums paid by enrollees. Here is a link to the bill.

However, critics argue Erbenbach’s plan is impractical. First of all, at $130 a month, it is cost prohibitive to low-income individuals, they say. Also, since it may only serve five thousand people, the insurance pool is too small, bringing in only $7.8 million a year to cover medical costs.

“If you get a couple of hits, boom, that sucker’s gone! And that’s the life of being a government insurance company, and that’s the problem,” argued Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield).

“Because the state doesn’t have any extra revenue, the plan is supposed to be paid for with premiums. But with 50% of the potential population without income, so it’s hard to set a premium low enough that covers costs,” Vinehout continued. “Badger Basic puts the risk on the state and taxpayers.”

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Erpenbach admits BadgerCare Plus Basic is far from ideal.

“It’s not like we’re going out and saying ‘Hey, come on. We’ve got this great plan."

Notice how WEAC is never mentioned by Herdrich. Let's put the push for INCREASES by WEAC on the inclusion list for "uknown factors." Seems WEAC is all FOR tax levy increases in West Bend, just as long as it doesn't affect teacher salaries....

Lest we forget:Shelly Krueger, co-president of the Teacher’s Union, took the microphone together with Kim Will to announce that the Union and the teachers are willing to work on a compromise to help the School District in these financially challenging times. Words like ‘shared sacrifice’ went along side with ‘contract negotiations’.

Recommendations for the the 2010-11 preliminary budget the West Bend School Board received Monday included job cuts that would equal 26.1 teaching positions.

Balancing the budget will require the board to make $2 million in reductions.

The proposed cuts would mean the elimination of a librarian and a gifted and talented teacher at the elementary level; one dean of students at the middle school level; and a minimum of eight teaching positions and two cheerleading coaching positions at the high school.

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Also proposed are reductions in maintenance positions amounting to $125,000 and in system operations, $299,000.

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Currently unknown factors - such as the staff contract settlement, state aid calculations, potential changes to the levy assumption, and student enrollment will have an impact on what a final budget may look like.

Monday, February 22, 2010

The EC represents the genius of our Founding Fathers and it was part of the
great compromise which transformed us from 13 rival colonies into a
constitutional republic.

· This great compromise gave us a Congress consisting of the Senate based on
equal representation of the states and the House based on population. The
EC is the mirror image of this compromise and allows all states to be players
in the process of electing our President.
· The EC is the vehicle that gives us a President who achieves a majority in a
functioning political process.
· Without the EC, we would always be saddled with minority Presidents
without an adequate basis of support for leadership.
· The EC ensures that no single faction or issue can elect a president because
he must win many diverse states to be elected.
Conclusions:
· This campaign effort is likely just the beginning of an effort to bring national
government under the control of large and liberal states.
· The abolition of the EC contradicts our constitutional republic’s state and
federal government sharing of powers.
· Choosing presidents is one of our states’ powers, and we should not remove it
to begin a centralized national American government

"First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in humble and enduring scenes of private life. Pious, just humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform dignified, and commanding; his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting; correct throughout, vice shuddered in his presence and virtue always felt his fostering hand. The purity of his private charter gave effulgence to his public virtues." --John Marshall, official eulogy of George Washington, delivered by Richard Henry Lee, 1799

Friday, February 19, 2010

We have produced a deck of cards, similar to baseball trading cards, as a part of Liberty Counsel's Adopt A Liberal™ program, which garnered international attention by encouraging prayer for those in leadership to restore poor leaders to right thinking.

One side of each card displays the picture of a liberal, and the back lists some of their liberal positions or policies that negatively impact life, liberty and family. The deck of liberals includes Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and those who are not political leaders but whose leadership and actions affect our lives.

.......

Order yours for a donation of $20.00 or more by calling Liberty Counsel at 800-671-1776, or make a donation online and be sure to make a note in the comment box that you want the cards.

.......

Adopt a liberal from the list below, or select the "unknown liberal." Click on a name for more information about these misguided leaders.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

“I think it is very clear there are two sides of this debate,” said Corazzi. “There are two candidates who are committed to no tax increases and two candidates dedicated to maintaining quality education. The vote shows there are more people in the pro-education camp.”

So let's try to understand what Corazzi is saying here. Quality education means higher taxes and more money. Period. No options. If you don't agree, you are "anti-education." Uh huh. Right. It appears that this is just an attempt to smear while giving thanks for passing the primary. I noticed nobody else seized that opportunity. Maybe it's because they have class.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

My daughter gave this to me for Christmas and we had to exchange for the correct size. Just used it this week. AMAZING! LOVE IT! If you own a KitchenAid, you know the frustrations of having ingredients collect at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Problem solved! This attachment is way, WAY cool! Highly recommend it! Got mine HERE.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

You can read a synopsis of the event HERE at Boots & Sabers. No need for me to reiterate as I agree with Owen's take. The questions were fair and balanced. An overall well done forum.

I shot some footage. I was unable to catch all the questions on the video, but you can get the gist by the answers of the candidates. I believe I missed one of Randy Marquardt's answers on one of them. Sorry 'bout that. For what it's worth....

This time, though, the disctrict administration is trying to work through issues to save the $12,000+ AODA grant money they decided to use for this inappropriate and wasteful program. This grant was ok'd by the school board, but the program never was. When parents caught wind, they decided to get vocal, calling the district administration with their opposing viewpoints concerning the way this program operated and could potentially affect and harm district children (with deep roots in religion, by the way). In reaction, the school district allegedly shut down Challenge Day in a closed session without it ever appearing on the agenda. Ouch. A real no-no.

Now it seems that Ted Neitzke, Supt. of Curriculum and Instruction, is trying to salvage the UNREFUNDABLE $12,000. Kathy "I don't have to respond to your open records requests" Zarling is scrambling to whip up a program of some kind that will dump Challenge Day on our teachers in what is being deemed a "modified" version.

In this case, the school district has abused, and lost, some solid financial grant money that could have been put to good use on an AODA program (it's original intent). Instead, the originally planned psychfest has been vomited into the laps of our schoolteachers.

Just wondering...will they get paid for taking part in this 6-hour session?

And who exactly brought this program to the district? It's rumored that retired Supv. of Curric., Mary Jane Burdge, had something to do with it....

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

GREEN BAY (AP) — Wisconsin’s school districts are competing for students and state aid with the beginning of the open enrollment period today.
From viral videos to newspaper ads and front page links on school district Web sites, recruiting efforts are under way.
The open enrollment period, from Feb. 1 to Feb. 19, allows parents to apply to send their children to any public school district of their choice. Last school year, more than 28,000 students participated.
WLUK-TV reports that school districts are faced with tight budgets and are competing to fill their buildings in order to avoid cuts. School districts receive nearly $6,500 in state aid for each student enrolled.

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TIMELINE OF ALA'S HIJACKING OF THE WEST BEND LIBRARY

YOUR LIBRARY: NO LONGER A SAFE PLACE

The West Bend Community Memorial Library and members of the SHARE Library System (to include Germantown, Slinger, Hartford and Kewaskum) no longer can be considered SAFE FOR CHILDREN.

Your library board believes:

1. All materials should be available for all ages (anything goes). Really!2. National control cannot (and should not) be resisted; therefore, the disturbing value system of the ALA, OIF,WLA trumps local control of the library by the citizens and taxpayers it serves.3. Young adults are children ages 11 through 17. (Be sure to address your 11 year old in a manner appropos.)4. Assisting parents in identifying sexually explicit materials within your library is not important to them.5. You must stay with your children and read each book he/she checks out to assure they are not entering into the YA Zone, that is, the "Yes to All Zone."6. ..that if other people's young children (even younger than 11....) are openly reading books of a sexually explicit, graphic nature, say nothing...and by all means, don't stop them from checking them out. You, too, can have an 8-year-old snag "The Joy of Sex" off the shelf right here in your very own library!7. ..that porn filters are not required, therefore, none are needed. True loyalty to the many children they serve. After all, we would not want to restrict freedom of speech to those young'uns!8. ...that organizations such as SafeLibraries,PFOX, PABBIS, and Family Friendly Libraries, that work to protect children from being sexually victimized are not welcome in our community.

9. That the excerpts listed below (WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN) are perfectly acceptable for the eyes of children.

This is a propagana battle to ensure children retain access to inappropriate mateial despite the law, common sense and community standards.

PARENTS, TAXPAYERS, CITIZENS OF THE SHARED LIBRARY SYSTEM OF THE WEST BEND COMMUNITY MEMORIAL LIBRARY.......

YOU NO LONGER ARE A TAXPAYING SUPPORTER AND/OR PATRON OF A FAMILY-SAFE LIBRARY.